A series of tris(3-hydroxy-2-methyl-4-pyridinonato)metal(III) and tris(3-hydroxy-6-hydroxymethyl-4-pyridinonato)metal(III) complexes have been prepared in water by one-pot synthesis directly from maltol and kojic acid, respectively, and the metal ion (M = Al, Ga, In) with an appropriate amine. The pyridinones have substituents at the ring nitrogen atom (CH3, C2H5). The tris(3-hydroxy-4-pyronato)metal(III) complexes are formed insitu and these undergo nucleophilic attack by the primary amine; the appropriate tris(3-hydroxy-4-pyridinonato)metal(III) complexes are obtained. This method bypasses the sequential syntheses of ligand and metal complex, and has improved the yields of the tris(ligand)metal complexes, in particular by making them much more easily accessible. The electronic effects of binding the pyrone to the metal ions and of the substituents on the pyrone ring on the reactivity are discussed. Keywords: 3-hydroxy-4 pyridinone complexes, group 13 metal ions, one-pot synthesis.
